One of our must-do’s was a trip to Sir Bani Yas Island for a stay at the Desert Islands resort. A 15-minute ride off shore about 2 hours west of Abu Dhabi, the island is home to a wildlife reserve, an old Christian monestary and beautiful coastline.
Sheikh Zayed, founder and first president of the UAE, made it a priority to preserve, protect and build up the island as a nature reserve. It was beautiful; a few of our highlights are below.
Catching the boat over – it did nothing for our hair
The infinity pool was a little chilly, but provided a beautiful backdrop
The resort was pretty empty, with plenty of beachfront to roam around
Our main activity was heading out on a wildlife drive
We saw peacocks…
…and several ostriches…
…and rare forms of gazelle…
…plus other animals horsing around…
…gazelle reaching high for an afternoon snack…
…a lone cheetah…
…and our favorite, the giraffe!
We were able to get out to get a better look at our giraffe friend
As a gift to Sheikh Zayed, island workers surprised him by making this entire hill green with plants – not easy in the desert!
It wouldn’t be a weekend break without a girly drink!
Alfresco dining was a treat to our evenings
Sir Bani Yas Island is about 2 hours southwest of Abu Dhabi...3 hours from Dubai...The "Desert Islands" are made up of 8 different islands - Sir Bani Yas being the largest
